Heating and humidifying system



July 6, 1943.4 W. E, s CHNQEs 2,323,849

HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING-SYSTEM Filed June l2., 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MM?Aff July 6, 1943 w. E. scHNoEs 2,323,849

HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING SYSTEM I Filed June 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVNTOR. y WARREN E. 5CH/V055 Patented July 6, 1943 UNITED s'mfrsslrATfENT orrlcs ,2,323,849 HEATING AND HUMIDIFYIN G SYSTEM WarrenSchnoes, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 12, 1941, Serial No. 397,762

7 Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems, and has reference morespecifically to steam heating systems having a compressed air automaticcontrol. The invention further relates to a heating and humidicationsystem in which compressed air is used as a means for vaporizing waterfor humidication purposes.

In the past, steam heating systems through the use of radiators havebeen far from eicient in maintaining a selective uniform ,temperatureand humidity in a zone and have ibeen wasteful in the use of fuel. Theinstallation, operating and maintenance costs have also been undulyhigh.

An object of the invention therefore is to `provide a steam heatingsystem which will operate efliciently in attaining desired temperatures-in a zone with the use of a minimum amount of fuel.

Another object of the inventionmis tor provide a steam heating system inwhich compressed air lis used for controlling the flow of steam to theradiators.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compressed aircontrolled steam heating system with provision for Ythe vaporization ofwater of condensation for humidification purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a, heating Vandhumidiication system which will below in installation, operatingandmaintenance costs; also to improve heating and humidication systems inother respectshereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of`this specicationin which Fig. l is a piping diagram of a multiple zoneheating and humidication system.

Fig, 2 is an elevation of a single zone heating and humidication system,and

3 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the humidication systemtaken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, a heating zone, such as anapartment, may consist of a number of radiators Ii), II and I2, eachequipped with steam risers I3, I4 and I5, respectively, all of which aresupplied with steam from a single boiler. The radiator I2 willgenerallybe larger than the radiators I and II and will be positioned inthe room where the most heat is required. The radiator I2 will also beequipped with a thermostat I5 which is connected in parallel with a roomthermostat Il by lines IS. A compressed air supply pipe I9 leads from anair compressor and is provided with a LL i) r46 back to the boiler. 48supplies the valves 43 and 44.

solenoid valve of standard construction which is connected by lines 2lto thermostat .Il vand llines I8. This valve 20 is normally closed andopens only on the passage of current .from -a vbattery 2Ia. Waterdrainage pipes 22, 23 and connected by manifold l2B-to Ya `water -trap30.

A waterreturn ypipe 3| leads the `water of -condensation back to thesteam boiler. lCheck valves 33, 34 and 35 connect the steam risers I3,I4,

`and 4I5 to the radiators IU, II and I2 respectively -so-as topreventback-flow of compressor air from the radiators-into the steamrisers. Each Vof the kvalves 33,34and35 `is providedl with aset-screw sothat heat in a room may loe-shut off if desired. 'lhe drainage valves25, ZtrandA 21 permit the passage of water of condensation andcompressedair 2O4 from the bottom .of the radiators but prevent thev passage ofsteam therethrough.

In. the form-of invention shownin Fig.-1, a multiple zone heating systemis illustrated, -such as two apartmentsy one above the other. The pipingdiagramis. to .illustrate a Ycombination of elements similar tothatshown in Fig.y .2. vThe radiators '31,38 and 39 in the upper zone orapartment are connected in vparallel with radiators 4l), 4I and 42 inthe lower Zone or apartment. There isa separate compressed air valve 43and 44 and aseparatel trap 45 and lli-for Aeach apartment. VA singlemanifolddl returns the hot water of condensation from both traps 45 andA `single -air supply line AForthe purpose of humidincation, -a branchair line llgleads :from the water .drainage line 24 toa point underneaththe radiator lLI2 where it is provided with anv upwardly directed.nozzle 50.

' more uniformly over the area of the radiator I2.

A felt 54 extends over the baffle 52 and upper surface of the pan 5I soas to remain moist and prevent any actual spray of water from passingupwardly from the nozzle 5B. An overflow pipe 55 connects one end of pan5I at the desired level to the drain to prevent the pan 5I fromoverflowing with Water of condensation. The damp air passing up throughthe felt lows around the radiator I 2 where it is warmed up and itsrelative humidity lowered and its temperature raised considerably abovethe dew point, thus precluding the possibility of any condensationforming in the room.

In operation, when heat is desired, the steam pressure will be greaterin the risers I3, I4 and i5 than air pressure in radiators II), II, andI2, thus opening check valves 33, 34 and 35. Steam thus flows intoradiators l0, Il and I2 and forces the air and water of condensation insaid radiators, outl through drainage valves 25, 26 and 21. Some of thewater and all of the air ows out through nozzle 5D below baiiie 52 intopan 5I. The air and considerable water vapor passes upwardly throughfelt 54 around the control or master radiator I2 where the relativehumidity of the air is raised by absorbing heat from said radiator. Whenthe temperature of the radiator I2 reaches the temperature at which itoperates at maximum eiiiciency, thermostat I6 among the heating sectionsof control radiator I2, opens solenoid Valve 20 so that compressed airenters the radiators I0, II and I2 through drainage valves 25, 2B and 21respectively and shuts off the flow of steam into said radiators throughrisers I3, I4, I5. Air is prevented from flowing into risers I3, I4 andI5 by check valves 33, 34 and 35. All of the air which passes valve 20eventually flows out through nozzle 50 to supply fresh, Warm, humidifiedair to the zone heated by the radiators IU, Il and I2. Room thermostatI'I also acts independently of thermostat I6 when zone temperatureexceeds a predetermined point, to actuate solenoid valve 20 andintroduce air into the radiators to check the flow of steam. Theexcessive water of condensation ows through trap 30 back to the boiler.Any excess water collecting in pan 5I overflows through the pipe 55 to adrain.

I would state in conclusion thatJ while the examples illustratedconstitute practical embodiments oi my invention, I do not wish to limitmyself precisely to these details, since manifestly the same may beconsiderably varied without departing from the spirit of the inventionas dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a heating and humidiiying system, a steam radiator, means forsupplying steam to said radiator, means for directing compressed airinto said radiator at a higher pressure than said steam so as to checkthe ow of steam into said radiator, thermostat means responsive to bothroom and radiator temperature for controlling the flow of compressed airinto said radiator, and a nozzle and spreader baiiie for causing saidcompressed air to vaporize a portion of water of condensation outside ofsaid radiator for humidication of the air in said room.

2. In a heating and humidifying system, a steam radiator, means forsupplying steam to said radiator in one direction, means for directingcompressed air at a higher pressure than said steam into said radiatorin a direction opposite to the flow of steam so as to check the flow ofsteam, a trap to permit water of condensation but not air to flow fromsaid radiator, thermostat means responsive to both room and radiatortemperature to control the ow of air to said radiator, and a nozzle andspreader baille to cause said compressed air to vaporize a portion ofWater of condensation outside of said radiator for humidification of theair in said room.

3. In a heating and humidifying system, a steam radiator, means forsupplying steam to said radiator, means for introducing compressed airinto said radiator to check the flow of steam thereto, a water pan, afelt over said water pan, and a conduit for withdrawing condensate waterfrom said radiator, a restricted conduit leading from said condensateconduit, and a nozzle on the end of said restricted conduit for causingsaid compressed air to vaporize a portion of water of condensation fromsaid radiator between said pan and said felt.

4. A system as described in claim 3 characterized by a baie in said panbelow said felt to act as a spreader for said water vapor.

5. A system as described in claim 3 characterized by an overflow drainassociated with said pan to limit the height of water in said pan.

6. In a heating system, a plurality of radiators for heating a zone,means for supplying steam to each of said radiators, thermostaticallyoperated means responsive to both radiator and room temperature forsimultaneously introducing compressed air into each of said radiators tocheck the flow of steam thereto, and a nozzle and spreader baffle forcausing said compressed air to vaporize water of condensation from aradiator for increasing the humidity in said zone.

7. In a heating and humidifying system, a steam radiator, means forsupplying steam to said radiator, means for introducing compressed airinto said radiator to check the iiow of steam to said radiator, meansresponsive to both radiator and room temperature for thermostaticallyVcontrolling the flow of 4air to said radiator, a

nozzle and spreader bafe for causing said compressed air to vaporize aportion of the water `of condensation outside of said radiator for thehumidication of the air in said room, said nozzle being arranged todirect said water vapor and air mixture adjacent said radiator to raisethe relative humidity of said air.

WARREN E. SCHNOES.

